Locking system for jail-doors.



D. F. YOUNGBLOOD.

LOCKING SYSTEM FOR JAIL DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 23, 1913. Patented May 5,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES ATTO R N EY :oLuMmA PLANOGRAPH C(LJVASIIINGTON. u. c

n. F. YOUNGBLOOD.

LOCKING SYSTEM FOR JAIL DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 23, 1913.

1,095,766, Patented May 5, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR ITNESSES WARM COLUMBIA PLANOGRAI'YI CO..\\' \SHINGTON. n. C

DAVID FRANKLIN YdUNGBLOOD, OF- SAN ANTONIO. TEXAS.

LOCKING SYSTEM FOR JAIL-DOORS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID F. YOUNGBLOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Locking System for Jail-Doors, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in locking systems for jail doors.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of locking systems for jail doors, and to provide a simple, cheap and practical locking system of strong and durable construction, equipped with means for locking the cell doors in both their closed and open positions, whereby injury to the doors through the wrenching 'of the hinges thereof or the removal of rivets or other fastening means of the hinges by the prisoners while they are permitted the freedom of the corridors is effectually prevented.

A further object of the invention is toprovide a locking system of this character in which the means for locking the doors in their closed position will be counterbalanced by the means for securing them in their open position, whereby the locking devices of a plurality of doors may be simultaneously operated with perfect ease and the number of such locking devices increased without necessitating any material increase in the force required to operate, the locking system.

\Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out. in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the. advantages of the invention.

In the drawings :Figure lvis an elevation partly in section of a jail door locking system, constructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to two cells. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, taken Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 23, 1913.

Patented May 5, 191a.

Serial No. 763,118.

substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a similar view on the line 83 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a vertical sectional view on the line l-- .t of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional perspective view of a portion of one of the cell doors and the ad acent parts, the latter being separated to illustrate the construction more clearly. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail horizontal sectional view through the rear edge of the door and the adjacent side of the frame. Fig. 7 is a similar view, taken through the front edge of the door and the front side of the door frame. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail elevation partly in section of a portion of the door and the front side of the door frame. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of one of the locking bars for securing the doors in their open position. Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail perspective view of one of the studs for guiding and supporting the locking tongues or bars, which fasten the doors in their closed position.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in allthe figures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention,1'1 designate two adjoining cells of a cage, constructed of steel grating and equipped with hinged doors 2 also consisting of steel grating. Thedoor 2 of each cell is provided at its vertical edges with front angle bars 3 and 4: and rear angle bars 5 and 6, arranged in pairs and forming front and rear grooves 7 and 8, adapted to receive, respectively, a front vertically. movable steel locking bar or tongue 9 and a fixed vertically disposed steel tongue 10. The members of each pair of angle bars are of unequal size and are fitted together with their flanges or, wings arranged longitudinally or in the plane of the door and transversely or at right angles to the plane of the door the transverse flanges or wings being in contact and secured together by suitable means, and the longitudinal flanges or wings being spaced apart to form the groove. The

door frame of each cell is provided at its sides with front vertical angle bars 11 and 12, and rear vertical angle bars 18 and 1 arranged in pairs, the members of each pair being of unequal size and having their wings or grooves disposed longitudinally and transversely with relation to the door, the transverse flanges being arranged in contact and secured together. The longitudinal flanges of the angle bars of the door frame are spaced apart to form grooves 15 and 16 and extend toward the longitudinal flanges of the angle bars of the door, the grooves of the door and the frame opening toward each other when the door is closed. The hinges 17 of the door are riveted or otherwise secured to the outer faces of the longitudinal flanges or wings of the angle bars 5 and 14 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings, and the fixed tongue 10 is secured in the groove 16 at the rear side of the door frame, and it projectsinto the groove 8 of the rear edge of the door and it interlocks the latter with the door frame and forms a rigid connection between the parts when the door is closed.

The vertically movable locking bar or tongue 9, which extends throughout the entire length of the door, projects at its upper end through a horizontal steel plate 18 and is provided at intervals with inclined slots 19 through which pass horizontal studs 20, having reduced terminal portions 22 forming a central enlarged portion, which is interposed between the longitudinally disposed flanges or wings of the front angle bars 11 and 12 of the door frame. The reduced terminal portions 22 of the studs 20 pierce the said longitudinally disposed flanges or wings of the angle bars 11 and 12 and are riveted thereto. By this construction, the studs space the longitudinally disposed flanges of the angle bars 11 and 12 to form the grooves, and they secure the said flanges together and also support and guide the vertically movable locking bar or tongue and cause the same when moved upwardly and downwardly to also move simultaneously toward and from the door, wh reby it is projected into and withdrawn from the front groove 7 of the door to lock and release the latter.

The upper ends of the locking bars or tongues are connected by suitable pivots 23 to the lower ends of approximately triangular bell cranks 24, fulcrumed at their angles at points intermediate of their upper and lower ends on suitable pivots 25, which secure the bell cranks to the upper portion of the cell front. The upper ends of the bell cranks 2e are connected by suitable pivots 26 to the inner ends of longitudinal connecting bars 27, disposed in substantially horizontal positions above the doors and extending through the end wall of the end cell into a lever box 28, containing a suitable operating lever 29 adapted to be oscillated to reciprocate the longitudinal connecting bars 27. The lever box is suitably secured to the cage exteriorly thereof, and the longitudinal connecting bars have their outer portions located within the upper portion of the lever box, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The operating lever, which extends downwardly from the connecting bars is fulcruired at a point intermediate of its upper and lower ends on a suitable horizontal pivot 30, and when its lower arm or portion is swung outwardly or away from the cells, its upper arm moves inwardly toward the same and carries with it the connecting bars 27, which oscillate the bell cranks and raise the lower ends thereof, thereby moving the locking bars or tongues upwardly and away from the cell doors to unfasten the latter. A reverse movement of the operating lever carries the locking bars or tongues downwardly and inwardly into engagementwith the grooves of the cell doors.

Mounted on the cell fronts at points beyond or in rear of the cell doors in verti cally alined guiding cuffs 31 are rear vertically movable locking bars 32, provided at their lower ends and at a point intermediate of heir ends with outwardly projecting arms having upturned terminals 3' and adapted to be carried by the vertical movement of the locking bars into and out of engagement with horizontal bars of the cell doors. hen the cell doors are opened and swung bacl-zwardly against the cells, the arms 33, which are approximately L-shaped, extend through the openings of the grating of the doors and engage with the latter when they are moved tll'YWflldh] for that purpose and engage the bars of the said grating. When the cell doors are opened, they cover the hinges and by locking them in that position, the prisoners having the freedom of the corridors are prevented from wrenching the hinges or removing the fastening devices thereof. The cuffs are riveted or otherwise secured to the cell fronts, but the locking bars may be guided in any other desired manner. The upper ends of the locking he s 32 extend through the steel plates 18 and are cv'innected by suitable pivots 35 to substantially triangular bell cranks 36, fulcrumed attheir lower ends on pivots which secure the bell cranks to the upper portion of the cell front. The upper ends of the hell cranks 36 are connected by suitable pivots 38 to approximately horizontal connecting bars extending from the bell cranks 3G to the lever box 28 and having their outer ends connected to the upper end of the operating lever similar to the connecting Jars 27. When the lever is manipulated to move the locking tongues or bars 9 upwardly, the locking bars 32 are moved downwardly, and when the locking bar or tongue 9 is moved downwardly, the bars 32 are moved upwardly so that one set of locking bars counterbalances the other set and enables the locking system to be manipulated by a single lever with perfect ease, and any number of cell doors in the same line may be operated with substantially the same pull as the addition of the locking mechanism of-one or more doors to the operating mechanism of the system necessitates only an additional force sufficient to overcome the friction of the parts, as the locking bars of such additional doors counterbalance each other. Also the locking bars are positively and rigidly maintained in any adjustment by reason of the bell cranks and the longitudinal bars, which connect the locking bars with each other and with the operating mechanism. The outer ends of the connecting bars may be secured to the operating lever in any suitable manner. In Fig. 1 of the drawings, the connecting bar is secured in a slot 40 of the operating lever by a spring actuated pin or bolt 41, which engages a notch 42 in the underside of the connecting bar. The lever is equipped at the lower end with a spring actuated dog or detent 43, operated by a latch lever 44 and adapted to engage notches of a ratchet bar 45. Any other suitable means may, of course, be employed for simultaneously reciprocating the connecting bars.

Each door is designed to be provided with a spring lock or latch 46, which is adapted when the doors are closed to automatically engage suitable keepers 4L7 to overcome the danger of the doors rebounding when closed, which rebound or partial opening of a door if not sufficient to be noticed by the attendant operating the locking system would result in the locking tongue or bolt being operated without securing the door and thus leave the door unlocked. Owing to the construction of the cell doors, it is very difficult for a jailer or warden in the majority, of cases when at the outside of the cage in position for operating the locking mechanism to be able to determine in all cases whether the doors are properly closed and in position to be locked. If the door is left slightly ajar, the lock can be operated without securing the door, but the'spring lock or latch will eliminate this danger from the locking system.

The housing of the locking system is ex;- ceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, as the means for housing the looking tongue or bar and for mounting the fixed tongue and for providing the grooves at the vertical edges of the cell doors are all built of standard steel angles. which can be bought from any steel miller other place where steel angles are sold. No special shapes are required in the construction of the system and no mechanical difliculties are encountered in its manufacture. This is very important as no special milling is nec-.

essary in forming the parts.

Nhat 1s claimed is 1. In a locking system of the class de in its open position, an operating device, and,

separate means for connecting the front and rear locking means of each door with the operating device and for simultaneously actuating such locking means, the frontand rear locking means of each door being arranged to counter-balance each other whereby the locking system is easily operated and one or more doors may be disconnected from the operating device without affecting the counter-balancing action of the locking de vices of the remaining doors.

2. In a locking system of the class de scribed, the combination with a plurality of doors, of front locking means movable up wardly and downwardly and arranged at each door for securing the same in its closed position, separate rear locking means also movable upwardly and downwardly and located adjacent each door and adapted to secure the same in its open position, an operating device, and separate means for connecting the front and rear locking means of each door with the operating device and for simultaneously moving the said front and rear locking means in opposite directions whereby said locking means are caused to counter-balance each other to produce an easy operation of the locking system and to permit one or more doors to be disconnected from the operating device without affecting the counter-balancing action of the locking means of the remaining doors.

3. In a locking device of the class described, the combination with a plurality of doors, a front vertically disposed locking bar movable upwardly and downwardly and arranged at each of the doors for securing the same in its closed position, a separate vertical rear locking bar for each door spaced from the front locking bar thereof and movable upwardly and downwardly and provided'with means for engaging the door forholding the same in its open position, an operating device, and separate means for connecting the front and rear locking bars of each door with the operating device and for simultaneously moving said front and rear bars in opposite direct-ions to cause them to counter-balance each other whereby the locking system is easily operated.

at. In a locking system of the class described, the combination with a. plurality of doors, of a front locking bar movable upwardly and downwardly and arranged at each door to secure the same in its closed position, a separate rear locking bar for each door spaced from the front locking bar and also movable upwardly and downwardly and provided with means for engaging the door to hold the same in its open position, an operating device, and separate means for con necting the front and rear locking bars of each door with the operating device, said connecting means including bell cranks pivoted to the locking bars and arranged to move the front and rear locking bars of each door simultaneously in opposite directions whereby they are caused to counter-balance each other,

In alocking system of the class described, the combination with aplurality of doors, of a frontlocking bar movable upwardly and down ardly and arranged at each door to secure the same in its closed position, a separate rear locking bar for each door spaced from the front locking bar and also movable upwardly and downwardly and provided with means for holding the door in its open position, an operating device, and separate means for connecting the locking bars of each door with the operating device, said connecting means including a pair of hell cranks, one of the bell cranks being pivoted at a point intermediate of its ends and connected with one of the locking bars, the other bell crank being pivoted at its lower end and connected at an intermediate point with the other locking bar, whereby the front and rear locking bars of each door are simultaneously moved in opposite directions to cause them to counter-balance each other.

6. In a locking system of the class described, the combination with a plurality of cells hav ing hinged doors, of rear locking bars mounted on the cells and provided with projecting arms arranged to extend through the doors, said locking bars being movable upwardly and downwardly to engage the arms with the doors when the latter are opened and swung backwardly against the cells, front vertically movable locking bars for securing the doors in their closed position, an operating device, and separate means for connecting the locking bars of each door with the operating device and for simultaneously moving the said doors in opposite directions to cause them to counter-balance each other to produce an easy operation of the locking system.

7. In a locking system of the class described, the combination with a plurality of cells having hinged bars, of rear locking bars mounted on the cells and provided with substantially L-shaped projecting arms arranged to extend through the doors and having upstanding terminals and movable upwardly to engage the doors when the latter are opened and swung backwardly against the cells, front locking bars movable vertically and arranged to secure the doors in their closed position, an operating device, and separate means for connecting the front and rear locking bars of each door with the operating device and for simultaneously moving the front and rear locking bars in opposite directions to cause said bars to counter-balance each other.

8. A locking system of the class described, including a door, a door frame, angle bars arranged in pairs and mounted on the door and the door frame, each of the members of each pair of angle bars having one of its wings or flanges arranged transversely of the door and fitted against the wing or flange of the other member of such pair and the other wings or flanges of the same being arranged in spaced parallel relation and in. a direction longitudinally of the door to form a groove, the grooves of the angle bars of the door and door frame registering when the door is in its closed position and a locking member mounted in one of the grooves and engaging in the other groove when the door is in its closed position.

In a locking system of the class described, the combination with a door, and a door frame, of angle bars arranged in pairs and mounted on the door and the door frame, one of the members of each pair of angle bars having one of its Wings or flanges fitted against the wing or flange of the other member of such pair and the other wings or flanges of the same being arranged in spaced parallel relation to form a groove, and means for hinging the door to the door frame, and a fixed tongue mounted in the groove of the door frame and arranged to engage the groove of the door when the latter is swung to its closed position.

10. In a locking system of the class described, the combination with a door, and a door frame, of angle bars mounted on the door frame, one of the wings or flanges of each angle bar being arranged in spaced parallel relation with the other wing or flange in a direction longitudinally of the door to form a groove, fastening devices extending across the groove and having reduced terminals piercing the spaced wings or flanges of the angle bars and securing the same to gether, the intermediate portion of the fastening devices being interposed between and forming shoulders for engaging and spacing the said wings or flanges, and a locking bar mounted in the said groove and provided with slots through which the said fastening devices pass.

11. In a locking system of the class described, the combination with a door and a door frame, of bars mounted on the door frame and arranged in spaced parallel rela' tion to form a groove, fastening devices extending across the groove and having reduced terminals forming shoulders fitting against and spacing the said bars, said terminals piercing the bars and connecting the same, and a movable locking bar arranged in the groove and provided with slots receiving the fastening devices which retain the locking bar in the groove.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

DAVID FRANKLIN YOUNGBLOOD.

Witnesses:

W. M. MATTHEWS, W. M. CoRNETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents,

Washington, D. C. 1 

